FIVB President Dr. Ary Graça F° (centre) with Cristobal Marte Hoffiz (left) and Saul Castro Verdugo at the conclusion of the XII NORCECA Congress in Tijuana, Mexico on Sunday

Tijuana, Mexico, November 3, 2013 – FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° admitted to be overwhelming impressed by the achievements of NORCECA Confederation in the past recent years and by the way the whole operations of the organization are being conducted.

Dr. Graça F° made his statements during his closing speech at the XXII NORCECA Congress held on November 2-3 preceded by a Seminar for National Federations category I and II focused on Development and Management.

“I am really impressed, too much impressed,” he said. “I knew about how hard-working and dedicated people you are in NORCECA, but now after seeing the way you work, I am very sure about it.”

The FIVB President made reference to the allocation of more than $2,500,000 to assist the development program of NORCECA and considered like “cheap money”.

“That amount of money could be very expensive when it is badly invested but it is what in economics they call ‘cheap money’ because it produces big returns and I can guarantee you that it has been well invested,” he added.

Dr. Graça F° said he will continue commenting about his impressions when he meets with people from other confederations.

“I am very proud of all of you dear colleagues and delegates, and I am not going to stop saying to everybody the way you work and how you have been working hard to develop the sport,” he said.

The FIVB President acknowledged his satisfaction for the treatment he has received during his short stay in Tijuana.

“I am very much satisfied by the warm treatment given to me during these days,” he commented. “I have had the opportunity to talk with each one of the presidents of the national federations and it has left me a great impression.”

“I have relatives here, because volleyball is like a big family, and I am going to come back to celebrate all the handshakes of the champions of volleyball and beach volleyball in a few years,” he said. “I know where you are and where you are going to be.”

He finally congratulated Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, President of NORCECA and FIVB 1st Executive Vice President, and Saul Castro Verdugo FIVB Executive Vice President and President of the Organizing Committee of the Congress, “for the excellent two-day meetings.”